I. Vlaeva

Refractive index investigation of poly(vinyl alcohol) films with TiO2 nanoparticle inclusions.

The refractive index (RI) of polymer nanocomposite of poly(vinyl alcohol) films with TiO(2) nanoparticle inclusions with low concentration up to 1.2 wt. % was investigated. Accurate refractometric measurements, by a specially designed laser microrefractometer, were performed at wavelengths 532 and 632.8 nm. The influence of TiO(2) concentration on the RI dispersion curves was predicted based on the well-known Sellmeier model. The theoretical analysis, in a small filling factor approximation, was performed, and a relation between the effective RI of the nanocomposite and weight concentrations of the TiO(2) nanofiller was derived. The experimental values were approximated by two different functions (linear and a quadratic polynom). The polynomial approximation yields better result, where R(2)=0.90.

Contact angle analysis of corona treated polypropylene films

In this work, the effect of the surface modification of polypropylene films via corona treatment was investigated. Polypropylene films were treated with negative and positive corona discharge, at atmospheric pressure, for 5 minutes, at two different temperatures – 25 °C and 90 °C. The changes in the surface free energy were investigated by means of contact angle measurements. The Bickermans method was applied to determine the polar and dispersion components of the polymer surface free energy, on the basis of the theory of Owens, Wendt, Kaelble and Uy. Atomic force microscopy was used to analyze the polymer surface morphology changes of the films with temperature. According to the findings, in all cases the corona treatment increases the surface free energy of polypropylene films and its polar part, in comparison with the untreated samples. The effects of negative and positive corona polarities display some specific features which could be associated with different charged group introduced onto the film surface during the corona treatment. The total final effect depends on the simultaneous action of the two competing factors – temperature and corona polarity. The most pronounced effect was observed for high temperature negative corona treatment.

Dielectric function of polymer nanocomposites in small filling factor approximation

The dielectric function of polymer nanocomposites is examined in a small filling factor approximation (SFFA). The linear concentration dependence on SFFA is experimentally confirmed by refractometric investigations of PVA thin films doped with titania and diamond nano-sized particles.

Optical properties of PVA films with diamond and titania nanoparticles

Polymer nanocomposite materials have attracted increasing attention because of their unique optical properties. Of practical interest is the controllable increase in the refractive index (RI) values of the polymer nanocomposite materials by using nanoparticle inclusions with high refractive index values. This paper presents a study of the optical characteristics of polymer nanocomposites with diamond and titanium dioxide (titania) spherical nanoparticles with different diameters (2 nm and 15 nm) and very close refractive index values − 2.50 and 2.42, respectively. The investigated samples are with different concentration of the particles varying from 0 wt% to 3 wt.%. The refractive indices are measured by a laser refractometer at two wavelengths, 532 nm and 632.8 nm. The results obtained show that the RI increases with the increase in the concentration of the inclusions of titania and diamond in the PVA matrix.

Diffraction efficiency growth of nano-scale holographic recording produced in a corona discharge

The nano-scale holographic gratings ware recorded in 29 nm and 56 nm thick As2S3 films. The chalcogenide layers were deposited on a transparent chromium electrode with thickness 10 nm, produced on a glass substrate. Both chromium and chalcogenide films were deposited in one vacuum cycle by e-beam and thermal evaporation, respectively. The diode 532 nm diode laser was used as a light source in the present holographic experiments. The total internal reflection arrangement (Stetson-Nassenstein) was used in holographic recordings. The reference beam was totally reflected from the air-As2S3 boundary surface by an input glass prism. The object beam was normally incident on the recording medium. The corona charging was performed by a needle fixed at the distance of 1 cm from the holographic recording medium by applying a – 5 kV voltage. The diffraction efficiency increased from 9 to 30 times when the corona discharge was applied during the holographic recording, in comparison to the uncharged recording. The possible reason of the observed effect is discussed on the basis of the Franz-Keldysh effect and Moss rule.

Holographic recording in charged photopolymerisable nanocomposites

The holographic recording properties of charged zeolite containing photopolymerisable nanocomposites were studied. Photopolymer samples doped with pure silica MFI‐type zeolite nanoparticles were charged using corona discharge. The holographic properties of the nanocomposites were characterised in real time using the Stetson geometry of recording. The influence of the type of charge—positive or negative on the dynamics of holographic recording and the final diffraction efficiency was studied.

Using differential scanning calorimetry, laser refractometry, electrical conductivity and spectrophotometry for discrimination of different types of Bulgarian honey

The potential of several physical methods for investigation of the botanical origin of honey has been discussed. Samples from the three most prevalent types of honey in Bulgaria (acacia, linden and honeydew) have been used. They have been examined by laser refractometry, UV, VIS and FTIR spectroscopy, electric conductivity measurement and differential scanning calorimetry. The purpose of this study was to reveal the physical characterizations of honeys from different flora produced in Bulgaria and to identify honeys with a high apitherapy potential for future studies.

Discrimination of sweeteners based on the refractometric analysis

In the present work, the refractive characteristics of aqueous solutions of several sweeteners are investigated. These data in combination with ones from other sensors should find application for brief determination of sweeteners content in food and dynamic monitoring of food quality. The refractive indices of pure (distilled) water and aqueous solutions of several commonly used natural and artificial sweeteners (glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, sorbitol [E420], isomalt [E953], saccharin sodium [E950], cyclamate sodium and glycerol [E422]) with 10 wt.% concentration are accurately measured at 405 nm, 532 nm and 632.8 nm wavelengths. The measurements are carried out using three wavelength laser microrefractometer based on the total internal reflection method. The critical angle is determined by the disappearance of the diffraction orders from a metal grating. The experimental uncertainty is less than ±0.0001. The dispersion dependences of the refractive indices are obtained using the one-term Sellmeier model. Based on the obtained experimental data additional refractive and dispersion characteristics are calculated.

Investigation of multilayered polyelectrolyte thin films by means of refractive index measurements, FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM

Multilayered polyelectrolyte films are promising structures in the biomedical field. In order to meet the demands for biomedical applications, the structures have to be built from biocompatible and/or biodegradable, nontoxic starting materials, possessing some specific functional properties, depending on the particular application. In the present study, the multilayered polyelectrolyte films with potential use as buccal bioadhesive drug delivery systems were investigated. They were prepared via layer-by-layer deposition of successive nanolayers onto substrate. Three different biopolymers were used. The substrate, from poly(lactic acid), was solvent casted. After that, it was subjected to corona treatment, which ensures surface charge excess for the multilayer deposition. The nanolayers were prepared either from 0.01 g/L solutions of chitosan or 0.05 g/L xanthan. Acetate buffer (pH 4.5 and ionic strength 1 M) was used as a solvent. The substrate was dipped successively into one of the solutions, allowing formation of polyelectrolyte complexes of chitosan (polycation) and xanthan (polyanion). The substrates was treated in negative corona. The multilayered structures consisted of 8, 9, 14, 15 or 20 nanolayers. Number of techniques, such refractive index measurements, FT- IR spectroscopy and SEM morphology were employed in order to monitor the properties of the so prepared multilayered polyelectrolyte films.

Deposition of polyelectrolyte multilayer films made from chitosan and xanthan on biodegradable substrate: Effect of pH and ionic strength

The aim of the present work is to investigate the effect of pH and ionic strength on the deposition of chitosan/xanthan multilayers on preliminary corona charged substrates from polylactic acid. The multilayer films were formed by alternative dipping the substrate into chitosan and xanthan polyelectrolyte solutions. For this purpose 0.1% chitosan solution and 0.05% xanthan solution in acetate buffers with pH 4; 4.5 and 5 and ionic strengths 0; 0.01; 0.1 and 1 mol/l were used. The film properties were investigated by FTIR, laser refractometry, XPS and AFM methods. It was found that the binding of the polyelectrolytes to the substrate was irreversible over the time of deposition. The investigated parameters were found to depend on both pH and ionic strength of the polyelectrolyte solutions. This behaviour was attributed to the changes in charge density of the polyelectrolytes and screening effect of the counterions.